Midbrain raphe lesion in the newborn rat: II. Biochemical alterations in serotoninergic innervation.

Electrolytic raphe lesion was performed in 4-6-day-old rats and the resulting changes of 5HT metabolism within the central nervous system were analyzed up to 9 months later. As soon as the 2nd day following the selective destruction of B7 and B8 nuclei, forebrain 5HT levels were decreased by more than 75%. This reduction persisted for at least 9 months with no sign of recovery. The time course of 5-HIAA decrease was parallel to that of the indoleamine so that the ratio of 5-HIAA over 5-HT levels in the forebrain of lesioned rats was similar to that estimated in controls, whatever their age. This result would suggest that the remaining serotoninergic neurons in the lesioned rats did not develop a compensatory hyperactivity. The raphe lesion induced no change in MAO activity and synaptosomal tryptophan uptake but a pronounce decrease in the Vmax of synaptosomal KHT uptake process in various forebrain areas occurred. The serotonin sensitive adenylate cyclase activity in colliculi homogenate was not altered by the lesion suggesting that this enzyme was probably located in postsynaptic membranes. In addition, this observation would indicate that 5-HT receptors which are linked to this adenylate cyclase did not become supersensitive following the selective degeneration of serotoninergic neurons. Animals without forebrain serotoninergic innervation might be of great interest to analyse the role of serotoninergic neurons in various functions (sleep, analgesia, thermoregulation).